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Lantern Festival sparks colourful celebrations

News imageCFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty Images Artists performing during a fishing Lantern Festival in Luyang Village, Dajijia Street, Huang-Bohai New District, Yantai, eastern China's Shandong provinceCFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty Images
Performers took to the streets in Yantai, in eastern China's Shandong province

Dazzling displays of lanterns have been lighting up the skies to mark the end of Lunar New Year celebrations and hail the coming of spring.

The Lantern Festival is held two weeks after Lunar New Year, which was on 10 February this year and ushered in the Year of the Dragon.

The new year is typically celebrated in parts of Asia, including China, South Korea and Vietnam, as well as in diaspora communities around the world.

As well as with the traditional lighting of lanterns, this weekend's festival also saw firework displays, night markets and entertainment from dancers and performers.

News imageReuters People look at light installations as part of Lantern Festival in Beijing, ChinaReuters
Colourful displays of lanterns have been seen across China, including here in Beijing
News imageCFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty Images People release Kongmin lanterns to celebrate the Lantern Festival in Chongqing, ChinaCFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty Images
Red sky lanterns ascend to the sky in Chongqing, China
News imageVCG / Getty Images People perform a dragon dance amid fireworks in Taijiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province of ChinaVCG / Getty Images
A dragon dance is performed amid fireworks in China's Guizhou Province, as the Year of the Dragon celebrations come to an end
News imageChina News Service / Getty Folk artists and children parade with fish lanterns in Sanming, Fujian Province, ChinaChina News Service / Getty
Fish lanterns are paraded in Sanming, Fujian Province, by performers and children
News imageADITYA AJI / AFP / Getty Images People perform a dragon dance during Cap Go Meh festival on the occasion of the last day for Lunar New Year of the Dragon celebrations, at a shopping mall in Bogor, West Java, on February 24, 2024ADITYA AJI / AFP / Getty Images
A dragon dance is performed on the last day of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia as part of the Cap Go Meh festival
News imageRITCHIE B TONGO/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock People release sky lanterns during the celebration of Sky Lantern Festival, in Pingxi, New Taipei City, TaiwanRITCHIE B TONGO/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
People releasing sky lanterns in New Taipei City, Taiwan, to wish for peace, happiness and prosperity
News imageYang Enuo/VCG/Getty Images Performers carry a sedan chair made with palm and jump on a fire - a traditional custom for the Lantern Festival in Putian, Fujian ProvinceYang Enuo/VCG/Getty Images
Performers carry a sedan chair as they jump on a fire - part of a traditional custom carried out during the festival in Putian, Fujian Province, China
News imageAFP A visitor is silhouetted while passing by the statue of a dragon for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations in Banting, MalaysiaAFP
A dragon statue is lit up in Banting, Malaysia, for the weekend's festival
News imageAFP People parade with frog-shaped lanterns during the Qima Festival on February 23, 2024 in Nanchong, Sichuan Province of China. Local people have the tradition to send frog lanterns to the river bank ahead of the Lantern Festival to wish for good health and safetyAFP
Frog-shaped lanterns - like these seen in Nanchong, Sichuan Province, China - are sent to the river bank ahead of the festival, in a wish for good health
News imageHou Yu/China News Service/VCG /Getty Images A woman takes pictures of colourful lanterns set up at Hong Kong Velodrome ParkHou Yu/China News Service/VCG /Getty Images
The lanterns come in all shapes and sizes - as shown by these set up at Hong Kong Velodrome Park
News imageReuters People enjoy light installations at a park on Lantern Festival in Beijing, ChinaReuters
Many places had light displays, including this park in Beijing, China

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